THE HOUSE GUEST
Luke 19:1-10
There was a man in the city of Jericho that must have been a lonely man. He wasn’t popular at all, in fact most of those who knew him, and nearly everyone in the city did, would have nothing to do with him. He was looked upon as a traitor to his fellowmen and as a collaborator with the enemy.
The biggest problem that he had was that he had no integrity at all. His life was spent pursuing only one goal – to make his life as comfortable as he could, and to be a survivor. He didn’t care whom he hurt in the process, and he trusted no one. In turn, no one had any feelings of affection for him and most literally hated him for all the pain that he brought to his own people.
Do you know anyone like that?
During WWII there were many who would do whatever it took to survive, even if it meant collaborating with the enemy. Sometimes they would do whatever the Germans wanted in order to keep a semblance of normal life, but they would quickly change sides if the Germans were driven out of town. The problem was that there were many people who refused to do the bidding of the German Army, no matter what the cost. These people had integrity and conviction, and they knew that they would never surrender their freedom and never sell out to the enemy of their nation.
Many of those who remained steadfast in their opposition to the Germans suffered untold agony and many were transported to labor camps and death camps and were never seen again. They chose to give their lives for the cause of freedom rather than to live comfortably under the boot heel of tyranny.
More recently, I will never forget, and honestly I still have a hard time forgetting the fact that, while 58,000 American soldiers were giving their lives in the jungles of Vietnam, and something like 3000 of them were suffering depravation and torture in the prison camps of North Vietnam, there were collaborators that traveled halfway around the world, voluntarily, to support our enemy.
One of the most notorious, Jane Fonda, claims to have become a Christian, and for the sake of her soul, I hope that’s true, but I still refuse to watch her in a movie, or to hear anything she has to say, because for me personally, and for millions of men and women who did their duty, and especially for those 58,000 men and women who will never have the chance to live life to its fullest, what she did deserved the highest punishment that we can give.
There have been a lot of people, throughout history, who were traitors and collaborators with our enemies, and they have either been sentenced to long years in prison, or they have paid for their crimes with their lives. To me there is no excuse for being a traitor, and no amount of repentance, and no excuse can ever repay the damage that is done to those who suffer even more than necessary because of the traitor’s actions.
Zaccheus was in the same category as these traitors. He had sold out to the conquering army of Rome and not only sided with them, aided and abetted them, but he volunteered eagerly to be the head of their taxation system that continually drained tribute money from his own people. It is no wonder that he was hated and despised by the Jews.
Luke 19:1-4, "And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way."
It is a wonderful thing to know that our God does not always think like we do. Jesus knew that Zaccheus would be in Jericho and he knew that the heart of Zaccheus was prepared for repentance and change. Jesus knows those whose hearts are ready, and who are seeking after truth and righteousness, after all he came into this world to seek and to save those who are lost.
If there is one lost soul, lost in the sea of humanity, anywhere on this earth, that is ready for salvation, I cannot help but believe that somehow, some way, using some willing man or woman of God, that Jesus will find them and give them their chance to see Heaven. God came down in the flesh for one purpose, to die on the cross a horrible and cruel death so that all men could be saved. Why would he then not do whatever it took to reach the soul that is ready for salvation? I believe that God is big enough, loving enough and powerful enough to do whatever it takes to reach the lost, no matter where they are or who they are.
Jesus came down the street thronged by a large crowd. They followed him because they had heard of his great miracles. I can imagine that many followed him because they needed healing, and many followed him because they needed deliverance from demonic oppression or possession. Every one of those who walked with him came for their own reasons. But for the most part, very few, if any, other than his disciples, were seeking Jesus for forgiveness of sin with a broken heart and repentant spirit. They just wanted the blessings without the restrictions from living the way they wanted to live.
It’s amazing that Jesus never stopped, not even once, to speak to those in the crowd at Jericho. I don’t see where he did any teaching, healing, or ministry to those people, not until he came to the base of that sycamore tree and knew that Zaccheus was ready for Jesus to come into his life in a deeper fashion that all the rest.
Luke 19:5-6, "And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully."
I can imagine that Zaccheus had tried to push through the crowd to get out front where he could see but those who stood there would not allow him to pass. They hated him and would give him no place where he could see Jesus. They probably stood there, shoulder to shoulder, like a wall and refused to let him through.
Have you ever seen Christians who acted that way?
I can remember a story that Charles Greenaway, a lifelong veteran of missionary work in the deepest parts of Africa, once told about his own life and conversion.
He was raised in an Irish home in a very rough neighborhood. Fighting for survival was a daily event and there wasn’t a day that passed that he didn’t have to defend his honor with his fists. In fact, I can still picture him as he would raise that fist in the air like a challenger at a boxing match, every time he would make a point.
He said that one day the Lord Jesus Christ, through a miracle of God, came into his life and he was saved. But the very next Sunday morning, as he came to church to hear the Word of the Lord preached, he sat behind two little, old ladies in the back of the church. He wasn’t there long when they started their gossip.
One looked at the other and said, “did you hear that Charlie got saved?” The other said, “what Charlie?” “Well Charlie Greenaway, you know, that kid that always in trouble for fighting and being rowdy.” “You’re kidding right, there’s just no way.” “Well, I heard it and my source says it’s true.” “Oh well, it won’t matter, it won’t last. He’ll be backslidden before long anyway.”
Bro. Greenaway, raising that fist once again, said, “I wanted to punch them both right then and there, but I determined to prove them wrong, and I never did backslide. Just a few years later I went on the mission field and I dare say that I’ve seen more people saved in one month than those two gossiping females did in their whole lifetime put together.”
Jesus saw something in Charles Greenaway that no one else could see. Those two ladies aren’t the only ones that I have heard of that acted like a wall to block those who would come to Christ. You see it all the time in the doubting heart of church people. It’s as though we are totally surprised because God can reach down and save even the worst of sinners.
Jesus stopped the crowd and brought everything to a hush, then looked up in that tree and called to Zaccheus to come down.
Today, Zaccheus, is going to be the greatest day of your entire life. Today, I am going to go to abide with you. Jesus saw a hungry heart and a sin-sick soul, and his one stop in all the city was to meet the need of Zaccheus.
I can just picture Zaccheus coming down out of that tree. Never a man came down any quicker that he did that day. To think that the one that many were calling the Messiah would even notice such a man as he was, was unbelievable. He came down so fast it was as though he just fell out of the tree. What a great honor! What unspeakable joy!
Can you remember when Jesus came by where you were and stopped to call you by name?
I know it may sound strange but I picture Zaccheus like an old raccoon, treed by the hounds of hell, just sitting there, with no hope, no love, no one to care, just waiting for the time when someone would come and knock him out. Have you ever felt like sin had you “treed” and the devil was just waiting for you to fall out of the tree?
But, Jesus came by, looked up in that tree, and hounds of hell had to run for cover. Oh what joy filled the heart of Zaccheus; that same joy that fills the heart of everyone who hears and answers the call of God.
Again we see that man does not think like God, nor can those who are walking in sin understand why God does things the way that he does.
Luke 19:7, "And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner."
Who were “they”? Who was it that murmured and complained that Jesus didn’t act inside their little box of what they thought was right? It was the crowd of Pharisees, that bunch of whited sepulchers full of dead men’s bones, who have all the outward appearance of being righteous and holy, but whose hearts are filled with judgmental attitudes and self-righteousness, and black with the sin of pride.
Zaccheus would never have been accepted by the Jews. In fact, I don’t believe he ever was accepted back into mainstream society with the Jews, ever again. He had done too much for man to forgive and forget and would forever be hated of his own countrymen.
Sometimes we must live with the consequences of our sin, even after Jesus has cleansed us and saved us. Sin still has eternal and lifelong consequences, long after it has been forgiven.
True enough, Zaccheus, and anyone else who is washed and forgiven by Jesus of their sin, will have eternal life and will be a part of the church, the Bride of Christ, both in this life and life to come, but they will still suffer from the after effects of the sin that they committed as long as they are in the body.
I don’t know how many of you may have seen the movie titled, “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou”, but there is one scene that makes the point that I am giving.
Three convicts escaped from the Mississippi prison chain gang. After their escape, they come across a baptismal service of a local congregation and in the process, two of the criminals are baptized in water. They came out of the river saying that their sins were forgiven and that everything was all right now.
The third prisoner, the only one that seemed to have much in the line of reasoning, said, “Well boys, you may have set things right with the Lord, but the State of Mississippi doesn’t forgive and forget so easily.”
That’s the way it is. We don’t like it but we can’t change it. There is a debt that must be paid for sin, as long as we live on the earth, even though Jesus has forgiven us of that sin forever. THAT’S JUST A SAD FACT OF THE POWER OF SIN!
But, no matter how hard it is to face that fact, or how much we may have to go through before this life is over, the fact is that the day that Jesus comes into your heart is still the greatest day of your eternal existence. All things take on a whole new look. Life’s meaning becomes clear. The heart is forever changed and our whole existence is changed forever
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That’s exactly what happened to Zaccheus! He was forever changed; forever forgiven; and eternally saved.
I believe that the instant Zaccheus heard Jesus call him by name, and he responded by coming down to meet Jesus, Zaccheus’ heart was forever changed. The next part of the scriptures bear this out.
Luke 19:8-9, "And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham."
Zaccheus had a heart that truly repentant. He not only would change his ways, turn from his ways as a traitor and stop taking from his friends to satisfy his own greed, he would also make every attempt to right the wrongs that he had done. Now that’s a heart of repentance!
He didn’t have the attitude that so many have today who come to Christ, claiming repentance, and then walk out the door to continue living the same way they have always lived. That’s not repentance and I don’t believe that anyone who has that attitude is saved either. God knows the heart and he judges by the condition of our hearts!
Because of Zaccheus’ repentant heart and acceptance of Jesus into his home and his heart as the Messiah of Israel, salvation came to Zaccheus that day.
When you get to Heaven, look around for a short, excited and happy man, and go ask him if he is Zaccheus. There is no doubt in my mind that he is there today.
To the outsider it would seem that the salvation of Zaccheus was just an accident. Jesus had only intended to pass through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem where his real work was going to be carried out. It was as though Jericho was just a way to get where he really wanted to go.
But you and I know that Jesus never did anything “by accident”, especially when it comes to saving a lost soul.
None of you are here this morning by accident. No one who has ever had Jesus come into their heart, were saved by accident. It’s all in the purpose, plan and will of God.
Jesus came to this earth for one purpose, and one purpose only!
Luke 19:10, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
I thank the Lord for everyone who came this morning. Maybe you’re here because you are already saved, filled with the Holy Spirit, and you just love the Lord with all your heart and your greatest desire is to know him and be more like him.
I praise the Lord and thank him everyday for not only my own salvation, and the time he called me by name, but for every one of you who have called as well.
But, maybe, just maybe, there may be someone here who came because you heard about Jesus passing this way. Your life isn’t where you would like for it to be. There are things that you know must be made right. Sin is taking its terrible toll upon you and there is no peace or joy in your life right now and you need help.
You can’t see your way out, anymore than Zaccheus could see over the crowds. You have climbed out of your pit as far as you can, and you have tried to control your actions as much as possible but the nagging guilt of the past still hangs over you like a dark cloud.
You need so much to hear Jesus call you by name!
That’s what he is doing right now. As we come to the close of this message, Jesus is standing at the foot of your tree, looking up at you and calling you to come down. Come down and humble yourself before him. Fall on your face before God at the altar.
Zaccheus didn’t worry about what everyone was saying or what they were thinking. He only knew one thing – that he needed help and Jesus was his only hope.
Jesus is calling you right now. He wants to come into your house, your heart, and abide with you.
He does not have words of condemnation or correction. Your own heart does that. Jesus has words of love, words of compassion, words of forgiveness and words of eternal life.
Won’t you come down and let Jesus go home with you today? Come now while he is passing by and calling your name.
